I'm 17 and I have terminal cancer. I've created a bucket list because there are so many things I still want to do in my life ... some are possible, some will remain a dream. My blog is to document this precious time with my family and friends, doing the things I want to do.
You only have one life ... live it!

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2 July 2011

Happy smiley day :)

Today was a good day :)
I actually managed to sleep a bit last night, so that meant I felt better today!
About 10 years ago, a photographer called Annabel Williams took some lovely photographs of our family. Me and Milly look dead cute in them :) Well, just after my blog became big, Annabel contacted mum and offered to do some up to date family photos for us and today was the day. We did some photos in the house, some in the field and then we went down to the beach with the dogs for more. I was quite tired by the end, but I'm really excited to see the results, especially the ones with Mabel in. Thank you to Annabel :)
Then tonight, after I'd had a good snooze, Clarissa popped to see me and I showed her how to tweet - that was funny because just a week ago, I didn't know what I was doing! Now I've just got to get Sammi and Megs on Twitter.
I have lots of things arranged in the next few weeks - we're hoping to visit some friends in the south, I'm off to stay in the chocolate room at Alton Towers and I'm going to be meeting the Prime Minister to discuss bone marrow registry.
Oh and Mr whatshisface didn't get to me, I'm made of much stronger stuff!
Night, night .... keep spreading the words BONE MARROW REGISTRY x

I hope that I phrase this right and say what I want to say properly. That man is ignorant of how hard it is to get up every day and deal with a serious illness. I think that you've dealt with your situation with humour and intelligence, and your adventures have been making me smile. John Smith missed the point entirely; you are a human being first, and you just happen to be unwell. You have a right to live your life, I mean, does he expect you to be chained to a hospital bed? Keep at it girlie, you deserve a bit of fun and laughter. Take care, and enjoy the chocolate room (is it actually made from chocolate?)

Dear Alice,The PM is very lucky he gets to meet you!!! I'm not sure what the Chocolate room is, but it sounds like a divine place to be!!! Enjoy :)My bone marrow swab kit is in the mail and I can't wait to receive it and get the ball rolling. Do you suppose I'll match someone?? (fingers crossed) Photographs of my family bring me so much joy and help me to relive the good 'ol days, I'm glad to see that you're having fun with photos!!! I have 10 day old golden retriever puppies in the house, so you can imagine I've been snapping tons each day.. My kids can't resist posing with these cute little guys!! ~Lisa~NB, Canada

Hey, been reading your blog - and I think you've got awesome spirit. Btw, I loved your cup! I got a picture of it stuck up on my wall - and everytime I look at it it reminds me of holiday. I feel happy. Keep rocking girl.. ;)

You seem very chirpy for that time in the morning! I'll do my best to match your mood. I am a secondary school teacher in Spain and have been using your blog in my classes. How about that for an accidental career move! You're a virtual, digital teacher!! You started off with just 2 of my classes, but then my students took you all around the school and introduced you to everyone, including the other teachers. I suppose I'll have to save you a mug and a chair in the staffroom!

You are such an amazing person and have taught me so much even though I have children close to your age!You are an amazing young lady with a beautiful spirit and I can only hope my kids turn out like you! I pray for you and have you in my daily thoughts Alice! I believe in miracles and never give up hope! God Bless you Alice! Much love, hugs, prayers and positive healing,Melanie White

You are such an amazing person and have taught me so much even though I have children close to your age!You are an amazing young lady with a beautiful spirit and I can only hope my kids turn out like you! I pray for you and have you in my daily thoughts Alice! I believe in miracles and never give up hope! God Bless you Alice! Much love, hugs, prayers and positive healing,Melanie White

Sounds like a fab day. Have fun at Alton Towers. I keep trying to convince my 38 yr old husband we need a day out there, but I think he's scared of the roller coasters - big Jessie. And hi to Davie C in Downing St. You are doing such an amazing thing, and it is wonderful to read your posts about your adventures. Stay happy, stay strong. Penny

Good for you Alice! I'm glad you get to stay at Alton Towers! Make sure you gon on Flume, and seeing as you are staying in the chocolate room you should go on the Charlie and the Chocolate Factory ride!

Dear Alice,Oh my goodness, a chocolate room! I'm trying desperately hard not to drool on my keyboard--I hear that's bad for computers. Have an amazing time!Question: Instead of a chocolate on your pillow, is the whole pillow made of chocolate?

For a moment I got Annabel and Mabel mixed up and thought your dog was somehow a photographer. That would've been an awesome trick for your dog show.

Good luck with the Prime Minister! I'm off to Tweet about BMR with hash-tags and links and everything!

You are truly an inspiration and it is wonderful to know that people like you exist. Being brave is one thing but to actually try to make the most of your life is truly special. Idiots like the guy who wrote nonsense to you are not worth your time but you sure put him in his place! Good for you.

I hope that you continue to do all that you can to enjoy your life and will be pulling for you to complete your bucket list. You already know that you are living an exceptional life and no matter what the length of it might be, it will have been one that you have absolutely made the most of ... and that is not something most of us can say.

You should also know that as the Principal of a school in Karachi, Pakistan ... earlier this year, I have encouraged my students and others to become bone marrow donors based on the story of another young person. While your goals are much broader, and I hope you get to achieve significant progress, I am pleased to know that in some small way I have contributed to your bucket list.

One thing that you should already know, but I will say it again, and that is that you will inspire others to be as strong and positive as you are ... and you should put that on your list and check that box immediately!! I am sure that your parents, family and friends are immensely proud of you.

I shall look forward to reading your blog and keeping up with your adventures. Much love and prayers for you from my family.

It's great to see that you are doing well. I'm not sick, but few years ago I lost both my parents and since then it's been a huge struggle. Sometime I get myself thinking stupid things and feeling sorry for myself. Your strength is inspiring as well as your will to live. I hope your days continue to get better and better so you can get the most of it...

Hey alice!I am a brasilian girl. My name is Ester, I'm 16 years old. I read about your story on the newspaper and I would like to say that I really admire you a lot! Your way of seeing life is amazing!I am really far from you but me and my family are praying for you and your family! You are making a big difference! Don't forget that God loves you!

hi alice,you rock,im a total fan of yours,your doing a fantastic job wow meeting the pm.have a great time in the choco room.hope u post a few pix.i tried to register sadly i dont qualify so im getting one of the fabulous mug you designed.take care much love and hugs your unstoppable from the usa randy

hai dear sister..i am from India.. your story had been publshed here in a local newspaper.. after reading that you are one of my inspiration..we are in two different countries and we never ever meet before but now i feel you are like my sister..dont ever be sad.. you can fullfill all your dreams the whole world is with you.. and now onwards you are always in my prayers..enjoy every moment in life..take care..love you...

i noticed on your bucket list you wanted to go whale watching. I live on the eastern coast of Canada, and there are TONS of whales. I know its not the same as actually going to see them in real life, but i would love to make a video for you of them up really close!

Yay! Sounds a lot of fun everything you have done!! =) I want to see the pictures too, post them pleease!! I'm sure your mama will find a way to protect the pictures.Besides that, I'm happy to see that you are not letting those really "not loved ones"( like we say in portuguese when someone does stupid things like Mr Smith ) get to you!! You are so smart, incredible brave AND you are making a HUGE difference, so just forget about the Mr Not Loved One =) I know I shouldn't say this because you are soooo mature that you are already doing that, showing them that you are much more than just a 15 years old girl!! You are doing what you are suppose to do, doing everything to be happy =) And people all over the world, like me, are with you, so please, don't let them turn you down!! You are veeery special =) Have a great week!! Love, Beijos ( kisses, kind of a goodbye in Brazil) Iza

Dear Alice, I'm so happy to see you getting to fulfil more and more of your wishes. I hope you will post some pictures of them here, so we can all get to see you enjoying the Chocolate Room, and the pictures of your photoshoot and so on.I'm also glad you didn't let Old Miseryguts Mr Whatshisface get to you.Keep smiling, sweet Alice.

Chocolate Room and the Prime Minister - SCORE for you.I cant do the bone marrow, I tried I'm too old. I'm 53 and they don't want mine, but I would if I could and I'm spreading the word. Have fun on your adventures.

I think you are so brave to be able to have a positive attitude whilst going through something as terrible as cancer. Meeting the Prime Minister is quite the achievement and i hope you have some great questions to put forward to him! I love reading your blog and look forward to hearing about the PM meeting!

Dear Alice, thank you so much for sharing your bucket list with us. I have been very moved by your courage and determination. I see that you can now cross another one off your list "To have a nice picture taken with Mabel"!!! I wish you all the very best and hope that you get many nights of good sleep, cross many more things off your bucket list and also add many more to continue to cross off...and to laugh alot along the way. Lots of luv

I'm so pleased you managed some sleep Alice and you feel better for it :) It sounds like you've been mega-busy and have another week filled to the brim with exciting things to do - I hope everything goes to plan and you have the most fantastic time.

I haven't been able to post every day but just had to let you know that I pre-ordered my Emma Bridgewater mug as soon as I got their email - WOW what a beautiful design, WTG! I was so excited when the order was placed because I was dreading them being out of stock before I even logged on lol. It's going to look great in my cabinet and will forever bring a smile to my face when I look at it so thank you so much for giving me a cup full of happiness, smiles, inspiration and courage - I will treasure it forever :)

Have loads of fun in the chocolate room (don't forget to eat all your tea first ;) )

I hope you all have a wonderfully happy day, big smiles and lots of hugs

Alice - you're an inspiration - and i don't think for one second that you are resigned to any fate - i think that you are young, and want to cram as much fun and goals into your life as possible - keep fighting- i'm now on the irish register - even though i'm terrified, its gotta be only a fraction of how scared the people who are fighting for their life feel!!

Hiya Alice,I've just watched the film the bucket list thanks to your blog i was encouraged to... i've had a bone marrow transplant (june 2010) and i'm still recovering from it now over a year on and its hard work- but without it i wouldn't still be here! Thank you for telling millions of people out there to join the bone marrow registry- i try to encourage people to join too!I'm gonna take my copy of the bucket list and watch it with all my cancer buddies and also show them your blog! Alice what i will say is you have brought joy into my life and touched it, and i only hope that i can be half as inspirational to others as you are to me!

Hi. My name is Irene Christodoulakis [I know, a mouthful, right?], and I am 14 years old. I live in New Jersey, in America. Did you know you're practically famous here? During the last few weeks of school, when we had nothing to do, you and a few other subjects were the things we would talk about.

You have my prayers, Alice. Just remember that everything is meant for a reason, and that if your time comes sooner rather than later, just remember, "To be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord."

It's great to hear that you had another happy day! :) I hope you have a lot of fun in the Chocolate Room. Definitely sounds like my kind of room! Enjoy it for yourself and all of us! :D Hopefully, the meeting with the Prime Minister will go well. Seems exciting! Have a lot of fun with everything, and just keep smiling! ^-^

I have a suggestion - would someone like Antony Nolan be interested in making t-shirts, possibly with one of your photos, saying 'I am a bone marrow donor' or something? (Proceeds to charity, of course!) It might be a good way to raise awareness of bone marrow donation among people who aren't very tuned into the internet yet. I'd wear one!

Alice, You are an incredibly brave young woman. Your blog reminds me that life is fragile...many of us take what we have for granted, myself included. Please try to ignore the haters. Some people can be pigs...but not everyone...not most of us (I hope) Life is what you make of it and you have inspired many (myself included) to do more with the life we have. Keep fighting the good fight...sometimes sheer will and determination do win. You've already crossed more things off your bucket list than most do in a lifetime! You are amazing!

Happy Day! I must tell you that I look forward to reading your blog every day. Keep posting and stay strong. Don't let the ugly people bring you down. Can't wait to hear about your next adventure!Cheers from sunny Arizona in the States

Hi Alice, you are an inspiration for every single person in the world!! Your attitude towards everything that's going on is amazing, and I can wish you ALL teh happiness possible! You go girl!! Lots of kisses and huggs from Brazil !! Juli

I feel honored that you can share your times with us like you do. I look forward to checking your blog. And while we read we can all pray for a miracle, its like a huge prayer tree. (I have 2 labrador dogs much like your Mabel. I am so glad she is there with you!)

Alice - First off, you're are a wonderful writer! Second, you are such an inspiration for others, and not just for people battling cancer. Life can be tough for all of us at different times in our life but regardless of what happens to us we do have power over how we react to it --whether we're going to let us bring us down, give up or just turn us into grumpy toads. Though I haven't met you I can sense your bright, positive, beautiful spirit and that is a rare thing in this world today.Thanks for sharing your story and I look forward to dropping in from time to time and keeping up with you on your journey. Take care!Hugs,Kelly from San Diego, CaliforniaPS: I've signed up to be swabbed!

Hey Alice's please go to youtube.com and type in Hip Hop saves lives Alice's theme song, and listen to the song i did for you to get people to register for bone marrow. I sent it to the bone marrow company in London that you speak of for them to use as well. I will email you the lyrics or better yet post them on youtube under the song.

hope you enjoy the song!!! I also emailed it to you also so you can download it and share!

Hi, Alice.You are so brave , really. A big page about you was published in our local paper and you were the discussion topic in my class. May all your wishes come true.Our prayers is with you. With prayers and love, Theresa from Kerala in India.

I saw your story on CNN today and just wanted to stop by. Your bucket list is a wonderful idea, and it sounds like you've been having some amazing experiences! Most of all, you are making a real difference by inspiring others and working toward a better bone marrow registry. When I get back to college, I will sign myself up and do the swab kit! Cheers, and I hope you have a wonderful day!

Hello my dear Alice, I just read the article about you in the Closer French, I immediately felt close to you, my sister and also suffering from Hodgkin's lymphoma for more than two years ... I understand that you will live and not be easy especially when you are older than 15 years, my family and I bring you our full support, I kiss you and congratulate you for the courage you ace!

And I would ask you about something, and I dont know, where I can writhe to you, so I hope it's okay, then I ask you here. What had you do, to get a blog so awsome, like this? And how did you got so much followers??

Hi AliceGot my swab stuff through from ANT today. Will be spitting in the pot and sending it back asap! Amazed by the people from all around the world who are commenting here, you've done a phenomenal thing here and you can be very proud. Truly amazing to have achieved so much for one who is so young. Sometimes teenagers in this country get a lot of flak in the press, but you are an example of the best of British and I for one am proud to be able to call myself your fellow countryman. Keep smiling and don't let the weight of what you've created here distract you from your family and your list! Wishing you and your family all the best, Ben

Hai, ALICE.........AM SIMON , (FROM INDIA)if god is truely alive in our heart, some miracles are gonna happen in your life ................You will ok soon.... And coming back to the life soon with good health & power!!!!! you're living in our hearts....... you can see things through our eyes and do thing with our hands........ so GOD BLESS YOU!!!!

I have been reading your posts and want you to know I am praying for you! You sound like a lovely girl and I feel very blessed that you have decided to share your life with us. Hope all is well with you today!

Just wanted to let you know that I'm reading your blog and am endlessly impressed with your optimism and good spirit. I'm more than twice your age, and I don't think I could handle your situation with as much grace as you've displayed.

That said, I'm also secretly hoping for something fantastic to happen and give you more time to experience life! You certainly deserve it.

Well done Alice...John Smith is a jerk and an idiot and good for you for calling him out on it, what is wrong with these people??!!

I think you are marvellous, you are a wonderful girl and your family must be beyond proud of you.

Just wanted to tell you that I went to the London Aquarium with my 5 year old son yesterday on a school trip and when I saw the shark tank all I could think of you was you and when you swam with those sharks!!! LOL!! You are one brave girl!!!!

Seldom in my 66 years have I encountered such an inspirational person as you are. Thank you. Thank you a thousand thousand thousand thousand times for being who you are and letting the world see the real you.Thinking of you

Hi! I`m Spanish so maybe my English is not perfect but I want you to know that you are a very strong person who fights everyday even if things go wrong and this is a nice quality that not many people has. You and your dears ones must be proud of you. I send you all the hope and the force of the world as you deserve it! I hope you keep on making your dreams true! I look forward to receive new happy news about you!

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About Me

Hi, I'm 17 years old and live with my parents and sister in Ulverston.
I've been fighting cancer for over 5 years and now I know that the cancer is gaining on me and it doesn't look like I'm going to win this one :(
I'm hoping to write in here as much as I can and I'm also going to show my bucket list which I'm trying to get done before I have to go. Hopefully, I'll update as I tick each one off the list :)